Forewarned is Forearmed
by giacinta
Summary: What if it had been Dean that had hit the dog instead of Sam and had to take it to the vet? An AU story set towards the end of season seven, instead of the beginning of season eight. One-shot.


Forewarned is Forearmed.

x

I don't get it Sam. Why won't you just admit that Chuck Norris can beat the crap out of Jet Li?"

"Dean, we've had this argument a million times before and no amount of talking is going to convince me to change my mind," Sam huffed. "So just shut up and put on some ear-splitting rock music or something."

"Aw! Sammy seems a little bit pissed this bright and sunny morning! Just what is it that's got your panties in a twist?" Dean asked snarkily but with a vein of underlying concern in his voice.

"Sorry man," Sam sighed. "I dunno, I'm just tired, I guess."

Dean nodded. Castiel had transferred the bulk of Sam's Lucifer memories onto himself but his brother was only human and everything that he had been through these past months had taken a terrible toll on him.

He took his eyes off the road for a second to glance at his brother and when Sam's alarmed cry of "Look out , Dean!" caused his foot to slam down on the brakes, it was too late and the dog that had incautiously ran out in front of the car was lying bleeding at the side of the road, thrown there by the impact.

Dean drew the car into the sidewalk and yanked open the door. He knelt down beside the wounded animal as Sam came to stand beside him.

X

"Stupid mutt," Dean said, pity for the poor dog filling his heart. "Running on to the road like that."

"Dean we can't leave him here. We've gotta take him to a vet or something before he bleeds out," Sam declared, noting the little pool of red liquid that was beginning to stain the road.

"Yeah, Sam. I know. See if you can find the address of the nearest animal clinic." Dean added, but Sam already had his phone in hand.

"There's one in the next town, Dean. You want me to pick up the dog."

"Na, Sam. I did this. I'll take him. You drive."

x

With great attention, Dean gently lifted the dog; he noticed that one of its limbs was bent at an awkward angle and he felt for it even more, remembering his own pain with a broken leg some months ago.

The animal's brown eyes were looking up at him trustingly, his shaggy body racked with tremors and he whimpered as Dean manoeuvred himself into the passenger seat.

X

Sam pulled up outside a building marked "River Bluff Veterinary Hospital' and rushed round to open the door for Dean, following his brother on into the clinic.

"Hey, we need a hand here right now. The dog is hurt and bleeding out," Dean informed loudly, making it clear that it was an emergency and he had no intention of being told to wait his turn in the corner.

The nurse pointed to a side room . Take him in there," she said calmly, obviously used to similar happenings.

X

"He ran right out in front of the car, I tried to brake but it was too late. He needs to see the doctor quickly," Dean declared as he laid the animal down gently on the table.

"Well, what are you waiting for ? Is he here? Go get him," Dean ordered non too gently as the nurse stood by hesitantly.

"The doctor will come but I don't know if..."

"You don't know what? If it's a question of payment, don't worry, we've got the money to cover the doctor's fee!" Dean added scathingly.

X

He noted the continuing rivulets of blood leaking from the dog's body and he threw the nurse a cold stare.

"Are you still here? Go get the doctor before he dies right here on the table because of negligence in attending to his wounds."

The nurse backed away. When Dean Winchester looked at you as if he was gonna cut your throat, you obeyed.

A few minutes later a thin dark-haired young woman came through the door and observed them with a supercilious expression on her face.

X

"Gentlemen, could you please vacate the room while I examine the patient," she said coldly "and I would remind you that this is an hospital not a bar and you would be well to keep your voice down instead of shouting."

Dean tilted his head as if examining some rare specimen. "Sorry, doc. You're right. I shouldn't be shouting in an hospital, but I have always believed that saving a life comes before hospital protocols. Come on Sam. We won't do the mutt any good by keeping the doctor occupied in other things."

And with that he strode trough the door followed by Sam who threw the woman an embarrassed glance before exiting the room.

X

"God, what a bitch!" Dean swore as he paced the waiting room.

"Come on Dean. She didn't do anything. She only told you to keep your voice down. You're not exactly a whisperer are you," Sam huffed.

"Yeah, well, she sure rubbed me up the wrong way." Dean said as he started to calm down. "I hope she can fix the dog. That's all that matters."

X

When the doctor entered some time later, Dean's interminable pacing placed him right in front of her.

"Well, doc. How is he?"

"He has some internal bleeding, some deep external cuts and scrapes and a fractured leg but he's not in danger of losing his life. It'll take some time but he should be all right."

Dean let out a sigh of relief.

"Thank God for that."

X

"Very well then. I'll get him ready. You'll be taking him with you?"

"What! No!." Dean answered confused. " He's not ours. We can't take him."

"He doesn't have a dog-tag so he's probably a stray. He's nobody's, so no-one will mind," she replied.

Dean felt his anger rising again.

For some reason, this young woman bugged him.

"Just because he doesn't have a tag doesn't mean he's a stray. In any case, we can't take him, we spend most of our time on the road. There's no way we can look after a dog," Dean explained.

"So you don't think you're responsible for this," she answered coldly.

"Lady,I'm responsible for hitting him even although he ran out suddenly in front of me, but we've _**responsibly**_ brought him here and are paying for his treatment. What more do you want...?" he was going to add bitch, but he could feel Sam's disapproving glare boring into the back of his neck, so he bit down on the word.

X

She turned to the nurse and commented snarkily, " Roberta could you give this young man his 'Dog's Best Friend' prize on his way out, please."

She gave one last look at Dean. "Maybe if you were such an upstanding guy, you wouldn't have knocked him down in the first place."

X

"Why you little..."

"Dean...!" Sam 's voice interrupted whatever Dean had been about to say and he came to stand in front of his brother.

"Fine, we'll take the dog with us. He's probably safer with us anyway." Sam said politely enough even although he silently agreed with what Dean had been about to say.

"Sam..! We can't."

"Come on Dean. There's no point in arguing. Go get the dog and let's get out of here."

As they exited the door the doctor's voice trailed after them. "There's my heroes!"

"Dean..!" Sam warned as he sensed that his brother was ready to go back in and do battle." Come on man. It's not worth it. Put the dog in the car. We'll find a place for him. It's a question of a couple of days."

X

Dean laid the dog down gently on the back seat.

Sam was already behind the wheel. "We better find a motel for the night," he said looking over at Dean's blood-stained clothes as he got into the car. "You need a shower, man."

Dean glanced dubiously over at him. "You're not gonna give me a big emo-sob story about how we should keep the dog are you, Sammy?"

"Na, We couldn't look after it properly. Anyway we don't need a dog. We've already got you." he smirked.

"Oh, really. Just what's that supposed to mean, Sam!

"Well, you do have all the necessary characteristics, Dean! You bark, you growl you defend, you fetch, you search, you're loyal! All that's missing is a tail but we can always fit you up with one if you like!"

X

"You know Sam, sometimes you're a little bitch!" Dean snarked.

"Jerk." Sam replied laughing, as a low whine joined in from the back seat.

X

XXX The enD XXX


End file.
